The Russian Government has announced a temporary ban on all aviation fuel (jet fuel) exports, effective immediately and lasting until November 30, 2026, in a bid to safeguard domestic supplies amid ongoing Ukrainian drone strikes on its oil refineries.
“The aim of this decision is to ensure stability in the domestic fuel market,” the government said in an official statement.
The ban also covers jet fuel purchased through commodity exchanges and marks the first time Russia has restricted aviation fuel exports, according to the RBC news outlet.
Supplies to countries that maintain active intergovernmental agreements with Russia are exempt from the restriction.
Russian transport minister Andrei Nikitin said Russia was not facing any shortage of jet fuel, adding that the ban had been introduced “based on the interests of our airlines”.
The measure comes as Ukrainian attacks have reduced Russian refining capacity throughout 2026 via long-range strikes. Kyiv has stepped up its campaign against refineries, pipelines and export terminals to choke off the oil revenues that fund the Kremlin’s war effort, in a drive that has become central to the wider question of Russian energy security.
Multiple refineries have been hit, leading to lower domestic fuel production and sporadic gasoline shortages, including strict rationing and long queues reported in occupied Crimea.
Russia primarily exports jet fuel by rail to Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The ban follows existing restrictions on gasoline exports in place since January 2026.
According to Bloomberg, processing volumes at Russian refineries have fallen to 4.69 million barrels per day, the lowest level since December 2009. The International Energy Agency (IEA) cut its 2026 forecast for Russian refining throughput by 150,000 barrels per day in its May report, citing increasingly effective Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure.
Analytics firm Vortexa said Russia plays only a limited role in the global jet fuel market, covering less than 2 per cent of global supplies.
According to Reuters data published on May 29, Russian diesel production fell by around 10 per cent in May.
Production had already shrunk by the same amount in April, as Russian refineries had to cut back or even halt production due to Ukrainian attacks. Russia exports around 40 per cent of its diesel output, and although Moscow has so far stopped short of curbing those sales, Interfax has reported that such a move is under consideration.
According to Western military analysts, Russian forces have failed to achieve any major breakthroughs in 2026 so far, with advances stalling at an average of around two to three square kilometres per day and even recording a net loss of territory of around 259 square kilometres in April.
Ukrainian counter-actions, improved long-range strikes and Russian logistical difficulties have contributed to slower progress compared with previous years.
